The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 264 The Unexpected Encounter

Theo gave a quick salute, his face pale but resolute. "Understood, Captain."

As the two groups separated, the tension grew thicker. The streets were deserted, their footsteps echoing unnaturally loud in the stillness. Sophie's heart pounded as she led her team through the winding streets, every shadow making her nerves flare. She felt exposed, vulnerable. The cold wasn't just physical—it was as if the town itself was watching them, waiting for them to make a wrong move.

Sharon, ever vigilant, was scanning the rooftops and alleys. "My lady, doesn't this remind you of those ghost stories they used to tell us as kids?" she asked, her voice a little too light, as though trying to cut through the tension. "You know, the ones where people go missing, only for their shadows to come to life and take over?"

Sophie managed a faint smile despite herself. "I never believed in those stories, Sharon."

"Neither did I, until now," Sharon muttered, her eyes darting nervously toward a nearby alley. "This place is giving me second thoughts."

Sophie's grip tightened on her sword. "Stay focused. We can't afford to let our guard down."

They continued toward the marketplace, where the once-bustling stalls were now nothing more than husks, their goods covered in a thin layer of frost. Sophie crouched down near one of the stalls, inspecting the ground. No footprints. No sign of recent activity. It was as though the entire town had been frozen in time.

"Nothing here," Sharon whispered. "It's like they just... disappeared."

Sophie's unease deepened. There had to be something—some clue, some explanation for this unnatural stillness. But the more she looked, the more her sense of dread grew. The shadows seemed to grow darker, pressing in closer with every step.

Just as she was about to call the search off, she heard a sound. A faint rustling, like fabric against stone. She stood quickly, signaling for her squad to be alert.

"Someone's here," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the howl of the wind.

The squad drew their weapons, the metallic sound of blades unsheathing echoing through the narrow alley. Their eyes darted in every direction, searching for the source of the disturbance. The street was deathly quiet, bathed in the dim light of a cloud-obscured moon. Shadows danced across the stone buildings, twisting and stretching as if alive.

For a moment, nothing moved. The silence was thick, like the breath held before a storm. Then, from the shadows of a nearby alley, figures began to emerge—cloaked in dark, heavy robes, their faces hidden beneath hoods and masks. There were three of them, stepping out of the darkness with an eerie, unhurried grace.

Sophie's eyes narrowed, her hand instinctively finding the hilt of her sword. Whoever these people were, they weren't ordinary townsfolk. Their posture, their silent approach, the fluidity of their movement—it all screamed danger.

The tension was palpable, thickening the air as the two groups faced each other in the street. Sophie's squad, six strong, formed a tight line beside her, their weapons raised. The strangers remained still, and for a long moment, neither side made a move. It was as if the night itself had paused, holding its breath in anticipation.

The figures were shrouded in mystery. Their robes were dark, almost blending with the shadows that seemed to cling to them. They moved with a deliberate, calculated fluidity that made it clear they were trained fighters, not the terrified townsfolk Sophie and her squad had seen hiding in their homes. Even the way they stood—at ease yet ready to spring into action—spoke of their dangerous competence.

"Who are they?" Sharon muttered, her eyes fixed on the group.

Sophie didn't answer. Her instincts screamed at her that these people were no ordinary enemies, and something about the way they moved, the way they seemed to blend into the darkness, stirred a long-buried memory. She clenched her sword tighter, her eyes scanning the figures, trying to make out any recognizable detail.

Suddenly, one of the figures stepped forward. He moved with a predatory grace, like a panther stalking its prey. He was tall, his body shrouded in assassin's garb—black leather armor reinforced with light steel plating that barely made a sound as he walked. His face was half-covered by a mask, and his hood was pulled low, obscuring most of his features.

But his eyes—sharp and focused—gleamed beneath the shadow of his hood, catching the faint light.

The curved blades he carried in each hand reflected the dim light, their edges wickedly sharp. He moved with confidence, his steps unhurried, as though he had all the time in the world and knew no one could touch him. He was sizing them up, studying them, and Sophie could feel his gaze sweeping over her squad, assessing, calculating.

Her breath caught in her throat as a flicker of recognition sparked in her mind.

"Dravis," she whispered, the name escaping her lips in disbelief.

Her eyes widened as she took in the unmistakable presence before her. She had heard the tales, the stories of the infamous Shadowbound duo—Dravis and Sylvanna, the deadly pair who took on impossible quests and survived. She had seen them and fought together with them before, during the Goblin King's uprising, when their reputation had been solidified, their legend forged in blood and shadow.

The assassin's eyes met hers, and for a brief moment, something flickered in his gaze. Recognition? Surprise? It was hard to tell. He remained silent, his posture still, as though waiting for her to make the first move.

Beside him, a woman stepped forward, her hood pulled back just enough to reveal a teasing grin. "Well, well, well," she said, her voice laced with amusement. "What's a royal knight doing all the way out here? This isn't exactly your jurisdiction, your honor."

Sophie's heart pounded. Sylvanna. There was no mistaking the ranger's sharp, mischievous tone. She had heard stories of her, too—stories of her deadly accuracy with a bow and her sharp tongue. And then it entered her line of sight.

The magma bear of the rumor.

Now, standing face-to-face with them, Sophie felt a strange mix of tension and familiarity. She had met them before, but something about their presence was unsettlingly... more familiar than she thought.

Sharon stepped forward, her hand on her sword. "Watch your mouth, you—"

Sophie raised a hand, cutting her off. "It's fine, Sharon," she said quietly. She turned her attention back to Dravis, her gaze steady. "What are you doing here?"

Dravis's reply was brief, his voice low and cold. "Same as you. Investigating."

Sylvanna chuckled, leaning casually against a frost-covered wall. "Seems like we've got ourselves a little party. But I have to ask, what's the royal knights doing poking around in a cursed town? Lost your way?"

Sophie ignored her teasing, her focus still on Dravis. There was something in the way he spoke, the way he moved. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen it before. The cold, calculated way he observed her, the way his words were sharp and efficient. It reminded her of—

No. It couldn't be. Could it?

Sophie shook the thought from her mind. This wasn't the time for speculation. She needed answers. "We're here to investigate the shadow plague," she said, her voice firm. "This town is under royal protection."

Dravis's eyes flickered again, but he said nothing. It was Sylvanna who spoke next, her grin widening. "A plague, huh? Sounds like fun. But I don't think you're going to find much here, your honor. The town's been empty for days."

Sophie hesitated, weighing her options. They were both after the same thing, it seemed. And if Dravis and Sylvanna were here, it meant that whatever was happening in this town was more dangerous than she had realized.

"Then perhaps we should work together," Sophie said carefully, watching their reactions. "We're after the same thing, and it's clear this place isn't safe."

Dravis glanced at Sylvanna, who raised an eyebrow, her grin never fading. "A royal knight, asking for help? I never thought I'd see the day."

Sophie's jaw tightened. "I'm not asking for help. I'm suggesting a collaboration. We'll cover more ground if we work together."

For a moment, there was silence as the two parties sized each other up once more. Then, Dravis gave a curt nod, his voice as cold as ever. "Fine. But don't get in our way."

Night began to fall, and the shadows that had been lurking at the edges of their vision grew darker, more menacing. The cold seemed to deepen, wrapping around them like a shroud. Sophie and her squad set up camp near the center of town, while Dravis and Sylvanna kept to themselves, their eyes always watching, always calculating.

As the fire crackled between them, casting long shadows on the frost-covered ground, Sophie couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them. Something dark. Something ancient. And as she glanced across the fire at Dravis, who sat in silence, his eyes fixed on the horizon, she couldn't help but wonder if he felt it too.

The town wasn't safe. The shadows were growing stronger. And whatever was coming, they would have to face it together—whether they liked it or not.